AP and IB Courses

Some students at Kennebunk High School decide to take advanced classes that are either called AP (Advanced Placement) or IB (International Baccalaureate). Though these courses are both advanced, they are very different from one another. Students need to decide what classes will be best for them based on the way they learn.

AP classes introduce students to college courses so they can get used to the rigor and workload that will be necessary in the coming years at the various universities they hope to attend. Students who take these classes must be focused and work hard so that they can succeed. IB courses involve a development of critical thinking and teach students to have more of an appreciation of world issues. AP classes also cover a range of topics over the span of one year, whereas IB classes take two years to cover the information. Some believe that AP courses are faster paced because they are only over the course of one year, but students gain the same amount of knowledge in either course.

AP classes also involve one assessment at the end of the year called the AP test. These exams pick your brain for the knowledge that you gained throughout the past two semesters. AP tests usually take place in the beginning of May around the time that some students take SAT’s. There is a lot of work involved in preparing for these exams which are usually about two to three hours long. AP tests are scored on a 1-5 scale (5 being the best) to test what a student has learned over the past year. Depending on the college you are planning to go to, the grade you get on this test can exempt you from taking certain courses in college.

IB also involves assessments of your knowledge over the course of the two years. In IB courses students must write papers called internal assessments. Some of these are written at the end of your first year of IB to assess your knowledge of the first two semesters. IB courses also take final exams like AP courses. These are also taken in may, but are graded on a 1-7 scale (7 being the best). Students who take individual IB classes earn a certificate if they scored a 4 or higher on the exam. IB courses are similar to AP in the way that they can also exempt you from taking certain college courses based on your score. Like AP, the score required is different for every college, so look into it! Some students also decide to take the IB diploma program in which they take solely IB courses, and also a specific set of assigned courses. They also must take a Theory of Knowledge course, write a 4,000 word Extended Essay, and receive 150 hours of creativity, action, and service hours. Not all students decide to follow this path, but whatever works for you is best.

It is important to know the difference between these courses before diving into the selection process come sophomore and junior year. But don’t think that if you want to take AP courses, you cannot take IB and vice versa. Some students decide to take both AP and IB courses, while some students do not take either, but whatever you decide to do will be best for you!